UK waives visas for Emiratis

Britain is the first European country to offer Emiratis visa-free entry, while the European Union is considering a similar move

British passport

By Courtney Trenwith

Wed 13 Nov 2013 10:08 AM

The UK has granted visa-free entry for Emirati citizens from early next year.

UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said the decision would make travel to the UK easier and would strengthen relations between the two countries, particularly in the areas of economy, health, tourism and culture.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the British Embassy in the UAE are still working on how to implement the visa waiver scheme and details will be announced later, a statement on state news agency WAM said.

The UK is the first European country to waive visas for Emiratis.

The European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee also is considering similar visa-free access to the 26 countries that make up the Schengen Area, with final approval likely to be awarded next year.

The visa-free scheme would be reciprocal.

The UK also announced earlier this month it will offer its most important foreign business executives VIP visa treatment as part of a new list currently being finalised.

Some of the Gulf’s most wealthy are likely to be among the list of only about 100 “high value” executives.

The Great Club is intended to ensure executives with “strong ties” to the country are fast-tracked through the immigration system. They will be given personalised assistance, including their own account manager, but will still undergo the same rigorous checks, the UK Home Office said.